oh yeah forgot to state all other blood t3,etc are deemed fine by all docs.
and I'm pretty young too. 20yrs
Most doctors think all is fine if your TSH is less than 5.0, even though the AACE recommended that it needed to be changed over 8 years ago, down to .3 - 3.04. They also think that any T3 and T4 test that falls within the ref. range means that you are "normal". Unfortunately the ref. ranges for FT3 and FT4 have never been adjusted as was done for TSH, and for the same reason these ranges are far too broad. So, you really need to know what the actual tests were, and the results, and reference ranges. If the tests were for total T3 and total T4, those are largely obsolete and don't reveal what you really want to know, which is the level of the actual, biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and free T4.FT3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.
Which thyroid antibodies test was done, TPO ab or TG ab. I expect that it was the former and that it indicates the early stages of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. This would be consistent with the beginning of hypo symptoms such as several you have mentioned. So, if you will fill in a few of these needed bits of info, then members can advise further.
yeah it was thyroid perioxidase ab
okay so here's the
free t3
2.5 PG/ML range = 2.3-4.2
and
free t4
1.05 NG/DL range= 0.73-1.95
As I suspected, both FT3 and FT4 are in the lower part of their ranges, which is frequently consistent with being hypo. FT3 is very low in its range. Many members report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to at least midpoint of its range. Symptom relief should be all important, not just verifying that the test results are somewhere within the range.
From what I have learned and experienced this is because the ranges are too broad. Over 8 years ago the AACE recommended that the range for TSH should be changed because there was extensive evidence that there were far more hypo patients than their old range would predict. When they purged their data base of suspect hypo patient data, the new range was adjusted down to .3 - 3.04. Unfortunately most labs and doctors still use the old range. Further, the ranges for for FT3 and FT4 have never been adjusted, and they need to be revised for the same reason as TSH. That's why I believe we hear from so many members with FT3 and FT4 within the low end of the ranges but they still have hypo symptoms. This would not be such a problem if the doctors understood this and considered the ranges as guidelines within which to adjust FTt3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms. Unfortunately many doctors interpret a result that is anywhere within the range as "normal", and don't want to go any further.
In my opinion the best way to treat a thyroid patient is to test and adjust levels of FT3 and FT4 with meds as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not TSH. It's good that you have a doctor that will test for FT3 and FT4. Now you need to find out if he is willing to treat you for clinically, by adjusting FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms. This will be necessary to offset the gradual loss of natural thyroid hormone as the Hashi's attacks your thyroid glands.
I suggest that you do some reading about Hashi's to understand more about it. Also, I think you will get some good info from this article.
http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html
ok...so what do you recommend
besides this. that link is for bioidentical stuff. Is that better. they have me on a trial run of 50 mcg of synthroid. Do you think this trial will fix this junk?
thanks for your time.
My first recommendation is that you find a good thyroid doctor that will treat you as I've outlined above, for symptoms. The ones you've seen so far seem to have downplayed your test result indicating Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and your symptoms due to having FT3 and FT4 levels that are too low in the range and need to be adjusted upward to relieve symptoms.
As far as the 50 mcg dosage, only you can tell if that is enough for symptom relief for the present. Understand that it takes about 4-5 weeks for a T4 med to be full reflected in your blood levels, and sometimes effects on symptoms even lag behind that. Just from the FT3 level I expect that the answer will be that you will need to increase meds.
With Hashi's your autoimmune system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid glands and gradually destroy over an extended period of time. As natural thyroid production is lost, your meds have to be gradually increased to offset.
I don't recall anything in that link about bioidentical hormones. It was all about the fallacy of the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and the need to test for FT3 and FT4 and treat a patient clinically by adjusting FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms.